Narcolandia

=Leyendas de Guanajuato (Legends of Guanajuato)= Mónica Gonzalez-Perez monicagp9972@gmail.com

= Instructional Objective = Learners will construct their identity through written and oral Mexican culture. They will also reinforce their knowledge of popular literary structures, namely: legends, songs, proverbs and riddles. = Learners & Context of Use = This game has been designed for adult Mexican students, residing in the U.S.A., who belong to //Casas Guanajuato// (Cultural Centers implemented a generation ago by the Guanajuato State Government in order to support up to three million //paisanos// –migrants) in Texas, California, Illinois, etc., and who are also enrolled in the High School program at the //Universidad Virtual del Estado de Guanajuato//. (The game could also be played more generally among families and friends within Mexico). Students enrolled in //Casas Guanajuato// probably had not finished their basic education when they migrated so their Spanish literacy skills are rudimentary. They also have limited Mexican identity due to the fact that they may not have been exposed to the richness of their cultural heritage. This game therefore enables them to engage in cultural aspects of Mexican life which they missed out on. The game will be used in //Casas Guanajuato//, where they will have the opportunity to socialize with other //paisanos//. Prior to the game they will discuss with the teacher and classmates aspects of Mexican Popular Culture which they are familiar with, particularly the songs, legends, proverbs and riddles, where possible from the State of Guanajuato, which they learnt from their parents or in their homeland in earlier life. As Mexicans love singing and dancing, it could be expected that the game’s songs and legends provide the inspiration for an after game group leisure activity, ie. story telling or singsong. = = = Competing products = There are a number of compendiums of Mexican legends, songs, proverbs and riddles, often for children’s educational purposes, but there is virtually nothing which is custom-made for fostering homeland identity among Mexican adult migrants in the U.S.A. = = = Object of the Game = This is a card game a little like poker in that the players disclose their hand gradually, as they complete individual Mexican literary products. The object is to compile the largest collection of literary products, which include: legends, songs, proverbs and riddles. = = = Content Analysis = = Game Materials = A pack of cards. Instead of four suits, there are four literary products: Legends, Songs, Proverbs and Riddles. Each card contains a part of a legend, song, proverb or riddle. Five picture scenes complete a legend; three verse cards complete a song; two sentence cards complete a proverb; and one sentence card, plus a picture card complete a riddle. A complete game narrative booklet contains complete versions of the legends, songs, proverbs and riddles, together with task-based background (geographical, historical, or cultural) information. = = = Time Required = The pack of cards can be reduced by eliminating legends, songs, proverbs and riddles in order to produce a suitable game time frame (between 1 and 3 hours), or to reduce repetition if the game is played repeatedly. Time can also be used prior to or after playing the game in order to learn the legends, songs, proverbs and riddles, as the case may be. = = = = = The Rules = 1. Each player possesses ten cards at any one time, which means that she or he can simultaneously construct distinct combinations of legends, songs, proverbs and riddles. 2. The game proceeds in a circular fashion. 3. Each player takes a turn, in which she or he takes a card, either undisclosed from the top of the pack, or the last card to be discarded and disclosed by a player at a previous turn. 4. As she or he completes the literary products, they are displayed on the table for all to inspect and approve. 5. However, in order to credit the product, the player must complete a literature product specific task-based procedure. A legend requires that a player collects the five cards which display key picture scenes of the legend, in the correct order. In order to credit the legend, the player must: 1) tell the legend 2) name the place from which the legend originated and 3) disclose the historical era in which the legend was created. There are **five** points for each complete legend. A song requires that a player collects the three cards which display the song, in the correct order. In order to credit the points, the player must: 1) sing the song 2) name the singer who made the song famous and 3) disclose the song genre (bolero, ranchero, etc.). There are **three** points for each complete song.     A proverb/saying requires that a player collects the two cards which display the proverb. In order to credit the proverb, the player must: 1) explain what it means (in her or his own words, but not those of the proverb) and 2) provide a real-life context for its use. There are two **points** for each complete proverb/saying.     A riddle requires that a player collects the two cards which display the riddle. In order to credit the riddle, the player must: 1) repeat the riddle correctly. There is **one** point for each completed riddle.   6. Failure to correctly complete the task-based procedure results in zero points and the cards returning to the back of the pack for reuse.    7. Replacement cards are picked up to replace those displayed, so that the player always possesses a ten card hand.    8. If there are no cards left to pick up, the player whose turn it is must still discard one, to enable other players to complete products.    9. The game finishes when there are no cards left or a stalemate is reached, at which point the players pool cards in order to complete remaining products, however no additional points are awarded.    10. Doubts concerning the veracity of the completed literary products should be checked by the players in the game narrative booklet.  = = = Motivational Issues = The game motivates the player by her or his desire to reinforce homeland identity, by flagging up strong shared cultural images for learning and future use within a Mexican context (party, reunion, discussion, etc.). Further impetus is provided by the competitive context of a card game, in which literary products are constructed secretly before public disclosure. The literary product specific procedure tasks provide further fun-based inspiration via story telling, singing and answers to specific questions concerning cultural knowledge. = = = = = Design Process = The subject matter was selected with reference to a migrant homeland identity reinforcement objective, within the context of a distance learning high school program, running on line from the State of Guanajuato and interfacing with the //Casas Guanajuato// installations operating in the U.S. Cultural identity in a migrant context was then located within a selection of literary products: legends, songs, proverbs and riddles, with particular reference, where possible, to those from the State of Guanajuato. Migrants may have partial recall of these products, which increases their appeal. They are also intrinsically fun, interesting and education by their very construct. The completion of the literary products in the game context involves combining pictures and texts, and sharing story telling and singing skills. In order to enable subject matter learning, the game rules provide complete versions of legends, songs, proverbs and riddles, which can be learnt prior to or after playing the game, in different virtual classroom or homework contexts. = = = References = Burstin Campos, M.,, Leyendas de Guanajuato, STAMPART. Del Paso, F., (2007), Encuentra en Cada Cara lo que Tiene de Rara, CIDCLI, S.C. Del Paso, F., (2007), Hay Naranjas y Hay Limones, CIDCLI, S.C.  Guzman N., (2002), Sociedad y Desarrollo en México, Ediciones Castillo. Thompson, J., (2007), Game Design, Principles, Practice, and Techniques – The Ultimate Guide for the Aspiring Game Designer, Quarto Publishing Inc
 * Facts ||  The pack of cards contains a number of literary products, namely legends, songs, proverbs and riddles. Each product is divided as follows: 1) five picture sequenced legend cards 2) three verse sequenced song cards 3) two proverb sequenced sentence cards and 4) one riddle sentence and accompanying answer picture.   ||
 * Concepts ||  The four literary products (legends, songs, proverbs and riddles) are identified as are the suits of a pack of cards, in this case, by the capital letters “L”, “S”, “P” and “R”.  ||
 * Principles ||  Players combine individual cards within individual LSPR categories in order to complete logical sequences of legends, songs, proverbs or riddles.  ||
 * Procedures ||  The players take turns, in rotation, as in typical card games.  ||
 * Processes ||  The players complete literary products and display them on completion.  ||
 * Probabilities ||  Unpredictables concern the face-down cards which are selected, the hands which competing players possess, and the specific literary products which the pack of cards reveals.   ||
 * Context ||  Study group in the //Casa Guanajuato//  ||
 * Vantage Point ||  Game players  ||